Tuesday, September 20, 2016

We are only a few weeks into our 50th season and we've already premiered three brand new works of interactive theater!

Ellen Cribbs, Imagination Theater's CSAPP Program Facilitator, worked closely all summer with artistic staff and our partners at RVA to craft brand new No Secrets scripts for grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. These new scenes provide returning audiences with different scenarios through which to understand sexual abuse prevention. We've also taken this opportunity to address some of the ways technology has impacted this vital conversation in recent years.

Earlier this month, we premiered the K-2 and 6-8 versions of the new scripts for audiences that had previously experienced No Secrets. The response was both positive and immediate. Students were instantly engaged by the overhauled scenarios and eager to jump on stage to articulate their understanding. One student, on what was only his second day at a new school, bravely came on stage to demonstrate how he would support a friend in need. It is humbling to work on such an important program and then watch it highlight the courage and compassion in our audience.

We also customized a program specifically for a high school that wanted to bring more civility and understanding into the political debates waged by students. Debates are essential to a healthy democracy, but when passions are whipped up by the excitement of an election year, it can be hard for citizens of all ages and persuasions to represent their opinions respectfully. This customized show intentionally opened up discussion around controversial topics. Our actors and facilitators, however, never took a side. Instead we put the tenor of the dialogue under the microscope and encouraged the audience to transform each scene from unhelpful vitriol into civil discourse.

All of our shows spark discussion, so it was a particularly rewarding experience to watch a show ignite a conversation about the manor in which we as concerned citizens can effectively communicate in both private and public forums.

To learn more about Imagination Theater and our participatory programs, please visit our new website at www.imaginationtheater.org.